International Conference
'Thinking the contemporary landscape
Positions & Oppositions'

Hanover, Germany
ETH Zurich | Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
DARCH | Department of Architecture
Institute of Landscape Architecture
Volkswagen Foundation

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CONFERENCE THEME
The conference is looking for a critical debate about the contemporary intelligence of landscape at a time of relentless conceptual oscillation and uncertainty. Outstanding thinkers and practitioners will share their thoughts and convictions, to help shed light on a multitude of issues, on one of the most ill-defined concepts of our age – call it landscape if you will.

SPECIFIC TOPICS
For mor informations see the file in download 'SESSION'
Lectures and discussions will gravitate around the following three main topics:

1. Science and Memory | 20th june 2013
There exists a schism between the way landscape is understood scientifically either as a functional normative network or an ecological system, and the way the same place exists cognitively, poetically and emotionally for people. The juxtaposition of science and memory sheds light on one of the major contradictions in society’s attitude towards nature. Guests invited to this session are asked to take position on the subject of a possible reconciliation of science and memory in contemporary culture.

2. Power and Terrain | 21st june 2013
Topology in landscape architecture has often been associated with the expression of an absolute or relative power in the past. In this age of pluralism and multitude how does this notion translate into the terrain? What power gets expressed in a landscape and how congruent can it be with the multitude it represents? Guests invited to this session are asked to draw on examples and take position on the relevance of power and terrain in contemporary society.

3. Method and Design | 22nd june 2013
Territorial challenges due to climate change should invite us to rethink our approach to landscape architecture. This implies amongst other things the precise definition of an operative approach to landscape terrain modelling that could be directly implemented in the broader territorial field. Guests invited to this session are asked to express their position in terms of method and design.

PROGRAMME
Please see the file in download 'PROGRAMME'

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
James Corner | Penn Design, Philadelphia
Georges Descombes | Atelier Descombes Rampini, Geneva
Vittoria Di Palma | University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Anette Freytag | ETH Zurich
Adriaan Geuze | West 8, Rotterdam
Christophe Girot | ETH Zurich
Kathryn Gustafson | Gustafson Porter, London & Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Seattle
Kristina Hill | University of California, Berkeley
David Leatherbarrow | Penn Design, Philadelphia
Saskia Sassen | Columbia University, New York
Hille von Seggern | Leibniz Universität Hannover
Charles Waldheim | Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge
Kongjian Yu | Turenscape, Beijing

ORGANIZATION
ETH Zurich, Institute of Landscape Architecture:
• Christophe Girot
• Anette Freytag/Dora Imhof | project lead
• Albert Kirchengast
• Suzanne Krizenecky
• Dunja Richter
Volkswagen Foundation, Hanover, Germany:
• Wilhelm Krull
• Anorthe Kremers
• Cornelia Soetbeer

RESGISTRATION
• restricted number of places
• no participation fees
EMAIL | landscape@volkswagenstiftung.de